Sunday, April 20, 2014

Fifty years have passed, but memories of the 1964 earthquake remain vivid. On Good Friday at 5:36 PM, Anchorage rocked and rolled, experiencing the strongest earthquake in North America: a magnitude of 9.2 on the Richter Scale.

Many activities and sites in Anchorage are telling the story in 2014, commemorating the lives and losses of that catastrophic event. The Anchorage Museum has a program called Riskland that features images and storytelling by those who survived the great quake.

If you want to feel the sensation of the ’64 Quake, visit Alaska Experience Theatre. While sitting in the theatre, you will shudder and shake in safety, but will come away with new respect for the power of earth’s tremors.

Earthquake Park features a pleasant walk with educational stops along the way, recounting four minutes of liquid ground and countless aftershock tremors. Not only was Anchorage affected: 139 deaths across Alaska resulted from the quake and

JC Penney building, post 64 earthquake

tsunamis.

The theatre, along with the Museum, Park, and other organizations, always remind audiences of safety tips and emergency preparedness plans to activate should another event take place. While travelers and tourists enjoy solid ground here, they join residents in maintaining a safety mindset.

The news media have had many stories with eye witness accounts during the fiftieth anniversary. A ten-minute historical reprise by the USGS is 1964 Quake: The Great Alaska Earthquake, an online video. View it - then come visit in person to truly understand the impact this event has had!